Sunday, April 1, 2018

Kanchanagiri, Vellore

Kanchanagiri, Vellore

Kanchanagiri
is famous for the small Siva temple on a plateau surrounded by hills. Kanchanagiri
is surrounded by a range of mountains and the middle there is a plain of 60
acres, and a big pond in the centre. Lord Shiva’s favorite cassia abounds the
Kanjanagiri. One can see many Suyambhu lingams. It is believed that they are
the Siddhas who lived there, thousands of years before.

Kanchanagiri
is surrounded by a range of mountains and the middle there is a plain of 60
acres, and a big pond in the centre. Lord Shiva’s favorite cassia abounds the
Kanjanagiri. The altar ‘Shakthi Peedam’ has a Siva Lingam surmounted by the seven-headed
snake. The altar adorned by Nagalinga flowers is the best part of Kanjanagiri.
The temple is shaded by the props of the banyan trees that are the 1000 years
old, extending up to several acres. There is also perennial rivulet near the
temple.

Most of
these rocks are in the shape of the lingam and are worshipped by the devotees
today. There are totally 1008 lingam in the hill. A particular rock called the
‘Manipaarai’ sounds like a bronze bell, when tapped. On the way to the peak of
Kanjanagiri there is a storage space supposed to be created by Sri Shivagnana
Swamigal.

In the
Vilwanathan temple the Nandhi unusually faces away from the Lord Shiva, towards
the East. It looks as though the Nandhi is on the guard against the Asuras like
Kanjanan. Despite Kanjanan being the Asura on account of his devotion to Lord
Shiva, the chief god at this temple is worshipped as Kanjaneswarar. Lord Kanjaneswarar
along with goddess Kanjanamadevi blesses his devotees here.

The
river Ponnai is known as branch of river Ganges and is believed to have reached
Thiruvalam Shiva temple at his orders. Apart from the well-known features of
Kanjanagiri there as a small temple for Murugan at the banks of the rivulet and
in the North east there is a temple of the Sapthakannigal. In the southeast
there is a statue of Lord Shiva in the open space. The biggest of many lingams
in the mountain in found in the south west and in the North west there is a
temple for lord Ayyappa.

Kanjanagiri
is located at about 2 Kms from Lala Pettai, 2 Kms from Lala Pettai Bus Stop, 7
Kms from Mukundarayapuram, 10 Kms from Ranipet, 10 Kms from Melpadi, 17 Kms
from Ponnai, 5 Kms from Agravaram, 8 Kms from Thiruvalam, 32 Kms from Sholinghur,
14 Kms from Arcot, 28 Kms from Vellore and 124 Kms from Chennai. From
Lalapettai at the foot of the hill there is a mud road upto 1300 ft up the
hill. The road suits two wheelers and lighter vehicles. Lalapettai is connected
to Vellore, Katpadi, Arcot and Ponnai through bus service. Nearest Railway
Stations are located at Ranipet (10 Kms) and Mukundarayapuram (6 Kms). Nearest
Airport is located at Chennai (113 Kms).